Mercedes becomes the first

Mercedes-Benz has received approval to begin testing a Level 4 autonomous driving system on highways and city roads in Beijing, China, in what the company claims is the first such test by an international automaker.

Mercedes-Benz confirmed the test on its Weibo account. The test regimen used a special S-Class model equipped with a full set of sensors, which appeared to include multiple lidars installed in the roof bending device.

Read: Mercedes becomes first brand in the U.S. to offer Level 3 autonomous driving

Mercedes-Benz said its Level 4 system is being tested in a variety of different scenarios, including parking, reversing, navigating roundabouts and turning left without human intervention. The prototype is also equipped with redundant systems for increased safety and can slow down at highway toll booths and drive through single lanes.

As a Level 4 system, the Mercedes unit can operate without human supervision for extended periods of time. Waymo and Baidu are currently testing similar technology.

In recent years, the German company has been working tirelessly to test and develop new and innovative autonomous driving systems. At the end of 2022, the company received approval to launch a Level 4 automated parking function in a parking lot at Stuttgart Airport. Last year, the automaker launched its Level 3 Drive Pilot system to US customers, becoming the first such system in the United States to be installed in a standard production vehicle approved for use on public highways. Drive Pilot is also differentiated from Mercedes’ lower-level autonomous driving systems by the use of LiDAR.

Interestingly, while China is testing Level 4 systems, the country only allows Level 2 systems for public use. However, as more automakers and tech companies work on developing new systems, regulators may need to make changes.